Heartworms!?

Question

How will my vet test for heartworms? How much is that procedure! I have three dogs that have never been tested for heartworms! Buddy a 1 1/2 yr old German shep mix, Maggie a 2 yr old Doxie mix, Bandit a 10 mth old Papillon! What happens if they do have them? Can they be cured? how expensive is that? I'm just having financial issues at the moment and want to know how much i am gonna have to fork out for all of this!

Answer 1

Here, the cost is $38 at one vet, and $32 at the other, so it pays to call around....I just checked some sites on line, and tests were as low as $15 at some clinics...It is a blood test, and done quickly

Answer 2

The blood test for heartworm is easy and not too expensive. The cost to treat is. If you are really having financial trouble, and the dogs are positive, talk to your vet. If the heartworm load is not bad, the dogs can be put on heartworm protection for a while. Heartgard will not kill the heartworm, but will prevent the heartworm from reproducing and the dog from being further infected. We did this for a rescue dog once until we could raise the money to treat him.
Another option, that they tell me works, is a product from Amber Technologies. I have not needed it myself.
www.ambertech.com

Answer 3

How much it costs... I don't know the prices where you live. However, the vet will take blood tests from each dog, and will have them analized for worms. If one or they have worms, the affected dog will simply follow a treatment of tablets to be given every day. Have your 2 year-old and eventually the 1half hear-old tested. The pup should be OK if the others are. Signs of heartworms are coughing and sometimes weight loss. I'ts not that expensive.

Answer 4

The Vet will check for heartworms by blood work, where i live it's not that expensive. But A Little tip, some can take pills for heartworms but some have to have shots.If they have to have shots, You could buy the shots from the vet after they have been tested, and the shots are like half the price if you give them yourself. I Give my dogs their shots myself. The price is like 12$ if the vet gives them but if you talk to your vet, They will show you how to do it and it will save you like 6$ a shot. Just Talk to your vet, you may be able to save money by giving them your self..Hope This Helps.

Answer 5

Call your local SPCA and ask for referrals to clinics in your area that may offer low cost or discount for multiple pet screening.
The test is very simple. A little blood is drawn and then looked at under a microscope and you can be told then whether the dogs are heartworm positive or not. Hopefully and very possibly they are not positive but you will want to get them tested for sure. They cannot take the preventative medicine without risking illness or bad consequences if they are positive for heartworms. In that case they will have to be treated and then re-tested to make sure they are negative before giving the preventative. The treatment can be hard on them but your dogs are young and no doubt healthy.
Make sure once you are able to give them preventative that you do it regularly (monthly tablets for prevention are available) and to give them their preventative all year round.

Answer 6

They take a blood test (the larvae show up in the bloodstream) and make an examination of your dog/s.

Your dogs are still young and if they do have heartworm, it should be able to be remedied.
As for costs, that will depend on the individual vet.

Answer 7

I worked at a dog kennel for 2 years. Testing for HW usually isn't too expensive - It was about $30 at my vet. If they test positive, they'll give you a treatment. If you find out they do have heartworm, they should be fine once they get treated. Afterwards, you can buy regular preventitives from either a pet store or your vet, and this should keep your dogs HW-free.